I don't know how to start my own thread so I'm commenting here. I want to start my mission about two months earlier than my 19th birthday. I want to go in early August and I want to be able to start BYU right after I'm done with my mission. How would I do that?

tyronekeiichijohnson wrote:I don't know how to start my own thread so I'm commenting here. I want to start my mission about two months earlier than my 19th birthday. I want to go in early August and I want to be able to start BYU right after I'm done with my mission. How would I do that?

You have little control over any this. The best you can do is set your availability date, get your papers submitted, and let inspiration and the rest of the process take its course.

Missionary papers are completed online. You cannot even access them until your bishops initiates your paperwork. So, as RussellHltn pointed out, the first step is to talk to your bishop.

tyronekeiichijohnson wrote:I want to start my mission about two months earlier than my 19th birthday. I want to go in early August and I want to be able to start BYU right after I'm done with my mission. How would I do that?

You are asking for an unusual exception; normally a mission cannot being until you are 19. Note also that your missionary application cannot be submitted by your stake president until 120 days before your birthday or availability date (whichever is later); this restriction is enforced by the missionary application system and could only be overridden by the Missionary Department.

But exceptions do sometimes occur, so it is possible if your bishop and stake president are willing to make the case for an exception in your case.

Questions that can benefit the larger community should be asked in a public forum, not a private message.

tyronekeiichijohnson wrote:I don't know how to start my own thread so I'm commenting here. I want to start my mission about two months earlier than my 19th birthday. I want to go in early August and I want to be able to start BYU right after I'm done with my mission. How would I do that?

I learned a great lesson from a Zone Leader on my mission many years ago. I was trying to figure out how to extend for 1 week so I could go home on the "anniversary" of going out. Another Elder and I thought we had a great plan and while working with our Zone Leader, I shared it with him and asked his opinion. His coment: "I think when the Lord says it's time to go home, it's time to go home."

You can certainly explain your desire to leave slightly early, but when the Lord says it's time for you to go, it's time for you to go. He knows your potential future and will guide you along the path He wants you to go. If you trust in him, it will not be detrimental to your BYU experience one bit. Have a GREAT Mission!

tyronekeiichijohnson wrote:I want to start my mission about two months earlier than my 19th birthday. . . . How would I do that?

You could move to a country where missionaries are called before age 19. [grin]

But unless you are already there, davesudweeks has is right: Trust in the Lord and have a wonderful mission. Hopefully you are already completing your mission application paperwork and any needed medical and dental work.

aebrown wrote:But exceptions do sometimes occur, so it is possible if your bishop and stake president are willing to make the case for an exception in your case.

We had a missionary assigned to our ward who had started his mission some months before his 19th birthday. At least from his understanding, there wasn't an official exception made. He had just made his availability date early, and it was approved.

greggo wrote:We had a missionary assigned to our ward who had started his mission some months before his 19th birthday. At least from his understanding, there wasn't an official exception made. He had just made his availability date early, and it was approved.

Were his parents serving as temple or mission presidents? Were his parents on missions themselves? In these cases, missionaries can leave as early as 18.